Kwame Raoul

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin ruled himself out of the 2018 Illinois governor's race after keeping his Washington leadership post on Wednesday, leaving Illinois Democrats in a quandary as they look for someone to challenge Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.

"I kept telling people of Illinois, I've got a pretty important job working in the United States Senate in the No. 2 Democratic position," said Durbin, who has been Senate whip for his party since 2005. "It was interesting to me that the day after the (Nov. 8) election, many of them came up to me and said, 'Stay in the Senate. We need you.'"

Durbin was the most buzzed-about potential Rauner challenger at July's...

Related "Kwame Raoul" Articles

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin ruled himself out of the 2018 Illinois governor's race after keeping his Washington leadership post on Wednesday, leaving Illinois Democrats in a quandary as they look for someone to challenge Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.
"I kept...

President Barack Obama on Sunday waded into the firestorm over newly surfaced remarks made by Donald Trump calling the Republican presidential nominee "insecure."
"One of the most disturbing things about this election is just the unbelievable rhetoric...

Gov. Bruce Rauner on Monday once again held out the possibility of pension relief for cash-strapped Chicago Public Schools, tying it to a property tax freeze, new education funding formula and anti-union measures.
This time, the first-year Republican...

Illinois' latest effort toward criminal justice reform has been heralded as a return to the state's roots as a pioneer in the treatment of juvenile offenders.
State lawmakers on Sunday passed a bill that would reduce the number of juveniles automatically...

A union lobbyist who qualified for a teacher pension windfall by subbing at a school for one day is now suing a state retirement board because his benefits were scaled back once his sweet deal was exposed.
Retired Illinois Federation of Teachers lobbyist...

A bipartisan collection of politicians, lobbyists, staffers, community activists and family filled a suburban union hall Wednesday to bid farewell to the late Judy Baar Topinka and urge that her style of blunt pragmatism be adopted as a memorial to move...

The Illinois Senate on Thursday wrapped up its work for the year, leaving the Capitol after sending Gov. Pat Quinn measures that would create a bobcat hunting season in Illinois and put in place new rules regarding eavesdropping.
The Senate's departure...

The campaign is over but remnants of the fight between Gov. Pat Quinn and Gov.-elect Bruce Rauner remain as lawmakers return to Springfield this week, with the Democrat looking to score a final victory by raising the state's minimum wage while the...

SPRINGFIELD -- Lawmakers made Illinois the last state to allow concealed carry of firearms in two quick votes Tuesday that formalized the deepening rift between Gov. Pat Quinn and the legislature.
The House and Senate voted to override Quinn's amendatory...